ur daughter, born in Siam, from whom we had been separated
except for short periods of furlough spent in England, for twelve years.
It seemed very hard that after this long separation, and just when we
were looking forward to a joyful and fairly speedy reunion, we should
perhaps never see her again.

The Captain said we might write these letters, which would not be posted
if the _Igotz Mendi_ with us on board got back safely to Spain. "But,"
he added, "we have changed our plans, and now intend that you should be
landed in Norway. It will be safer for you all, and you will not have to
risk meeting our submarines in the Atlantic again. When we arrive in
Norwegian waters the German prize crew will be taken off the ship after
the _Wolf_ has got home, the ship will be handed over to the Spaniards,
and you will all be landed in Norway, from where you can easily make
your way to England." Here was quite a new plan--how much truth there
was in this declaration will be seen hereafter. From now onwards
definite promises began to be made to us concerning the end of our
captivity: "In a month you will be free," "The next full moon will be
the last you will see at sea," etc., etc.

We were now proceeding north every day, keeping in mid-Atlantic--always
well off the trade routes, though of course we crossed some on our way
north. The _Wolf_, naturally, was not looking for trouble, and had no
intention of putting up a fight if she could avoid it. She was not
looking for British warships; what we were anxious to know was whether
the British warships were looking for her! On the 19th the Captain again
thought he saw distant smoke on the horizon, and we careered about to
avoid it as before. But on this occasion we were running away from a
cloud! The next day we left the tropics, and with favourable weather
were making an average of about 180 knots daily. On several days about
this time, we passed through large masses of seaweed drifting from the
Sargasso Sea. We did not meet the _Wolf_ on the 22nd as our Captain
evidently expected to do, and we waited about for her several hours. But
next day we did meet her, and we were then told that in eighteen days we
should be ashore. We wondered where! We were then about 30 deg. N., and we
parted from the _Wolf_ the same afternoon. It was always a great relief
to us all when we parted from her, keeping our ship's company of
prisoners intact. For the men amongst us feared we might all be put
upon t